Deamhan have survived by remaining hidden in the shadows. Ramanga, Lamia, Metusba, and Lugat have been overshadowed by what humans know as the modern vampire. But what if vampires aren't the real threat?

One woman's search for her mother who disappeared without a trace on the streets of Minneapolis takes her into the precarious world of Deamhan, psychic vampires who rule the underground nightlife in the city's most darkest corners.

She gains the trust of the only other human familiar with the Deamhan lifestyle. With his help she finds not only can the Deamhan not be trusted but it’s her own father, president of a ruthless organization of researchers, who has diabolically maintained that distrust.

She crossed the empty street, turning around to head back to Dark Sepulcher when a cold hand quickly covered her mouth. She felt an arm wrap around her stomach, pulling her from the street to a nearby alley. She struggled against this force, dropping her phone. She kicked her feet and tried to scream. Suddenly the strong force tossed her against the brick wall and she fell to the ground, landing on broken bottles and trash. She felt the sharp stings in her forearm from the embedded fragments of glass shards. Dizziness overcame her and she looked up, struggling to concentrate on who had thrown her like a rag doll.

Someone giggled.

Brandy flicked back her long brown hair, revealing a face that Veronica was all too familiar with. She recognized her immediately as one of the two Deamhan twins who attacked her in the bathroom at Dark Sepulcher a few nights ago.

“I just love it when I run across a free meal.” Brandy slowly knelt down next to Veronica and tilted her head slightly.

Veronica slowly stood up in shock, using the wall for leverage. Her eyes scoured the dirtied ground for anything she could use against her as a weapon.

Brandy jumped forward and Veronica slid back against the wall, feeling a warm trickle of blood draining from her forehead and down the side of her face. Brandy slightly covered her mouth and giggled again. She reached out with her hand and attempted to touch Veronica’s face. Her eyes began to twitch, and soon she busted out into a calm whistle.

“Please.” Veronica found herself gasping and stuttering.

Brandy wiped the blood from her face. A small throb of pain pierced Veronica’s forehead. She searched for the wound and when she found it, she discovered that it was deep and bleeding profusely.

“She killed her.” Brandy leaned up against the wall next to her with the same dark and mischievous look her eyes. “That Deamhan bitch killed my sister to save you that night.”

She didn’t know who Brandy referred to. “Please.” She felt the corner of the wall against her back.

“Please what?” The Deamhan grabbed Veronica’s wrists, pinning both of them to the wall. “I’m gonna rip you apart.” She slightly opened her thin lips. In a slow, shocking appearance, her teeth extended to three times the normal size. They were now sharp and materialized into the pointy teeth of a Ramanga. She moved her arms above her head and retook Veronica’s wrists with one hand while the other forced Veronica’s head to the side.

“I’m going to drain you into a pretty corpse.” Brandy’s raspy voice frightened Veronica. “And if you survive, I’m going to do to you what she did to my sister.”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.” She tried unsuccessfully to pull her arms free. Brandy slammed her against the wall again, and she lost her breath for a second. She grabbed Veronica’s hair and yanked, throwing whatever strands she managed to tear from her scalp. Her strength was superior. She moved Veronica as if she weighed absolutely nothing.

“Or I could sire you,” Brandy whispered.

She flinched, feeling her sharp teeth sinking into her neck. The pressure of her blood being sucked was excruciating. She struggled and scratched, drawing blood from her attacker’s face. Her fighting did little, and Brandy refused to let her go. She felt her arms being the first part of her body to succumb. Her strength soon followed, and her legs buckled from under her. She became weaker, paralyzed, and on the verge of passing out.

In an instant, Brandy stopped and loosened her grip and her attention turned to the alleyway. “I knew you’d come for her.” She released Veronica who fell, landing on the right side of her body. She had little energy to look up at what made Brandy release her. Her blurred vision made it hard for her to see the shadowy figure at the end of the alleyway. Brandy snarled at it. The figure took a step forward and again there was silence.

“Why did you kill her?” Brandy shouted at the figure as it took another step forward. “You were her sire!”

The figure didn’t respond. Instead it disappeared in a blurred image only to suddenly reappear feet from them. Veronica heard Brandy gawk as she and the figure began to scuffle, throwing each other into the brick walls. Veronica attempted to raise her body and catch a better glimpse of this Deamhan squabble, but she fell back to the floor. The fight moved too quickly for the human eye to see. They streaked back and forth, crashing into walls and garbage cans. The fight paused long enough for her to witness the dark figure; a female, with her hands on the side of the Brandy’s neck. The figure twisted.

Snap!

Brandy’s body went limp and the female moved the head aside and gracefully sunk her teeth into the base of Brandy’s neck. A considerable amount of blood spurted from the wound. Veronica focused her eyes. She’d seen this figure before.